Photos of the Week
Photos of the Week
Photo of the Week
Welcome our new Great Nephew “Ivan Jeffery West”
Congratulations to his brother
& Two Mom’s Sarah & Jennifer
Stonesoup Company
Welcome Home Jack
King Corona
Welcome Back HCC
HCC President Caught@ Mary’s
The Rowboat
Welcome Gregory Schooler
to the Sheraton Riverwalk Hotel
Click for More Photos at Ybor City Wine Bar
Caught @ Steam Fridays
Click for More Photos at Hamburger Mary’s
Click for More Photos at Carne’s Chop House
Click for More Photos Bernini of Ybor
Click for More Photos at Green Iguana
Click for More Photos at The Social
Click for More Photos atJJ’s Cafe & Bar
Click for More Photos at Centro Cantina
Click for More Photos at MC Film
Click for More Photos at Juicy Sundays
Click for More Photos in GaYBOR
Dishing with Mark & Carrie 8-27-13
Happy Long Labor Day Weekend
Welcome To Our Great Town, GaYBOR/ Ybor City
Making plans to leave your town to go somewhere this weekend? Come and visit the charming GaYBOR/ Ybor City where there is Great Shopping, Hot Bars & Clubs with TOP Entertainment, Super Restaurants that are unequal in Cuisine and of course the convenient Hotels right in the heart of the district.
A list is easy as going to www.gaybor.com or www.MCFILMFEST.com
Hampton Inn & Suites, Don Vicente Historic Inn, Sheraton Riverwalk or Hilton Gardens Inn (Discount MC FILM & GaYBOR rates available). 6 blocks of great variety of fine eating establishments Mediterranean, Italian, Spanish or American BBQ. Bernini’s Italian, Carne’s Chop House, Hamburger Mary’s, Laughing Cat, La Terazza Italian, Green Iguana, Yo Bro Yogurt, New York New York Pizza, JJ’s Cafe, Centro Canteen are a few of the great choices.
Shopping couldn’t be any better than MC FILM, Agora or La France.
Over a dozen Club & Bar events are listed below…
A big hit this weekend is the GaYBOR Beach Blanket Bar Crawl on Sunday. 10 bars giving you a shot at each establishment! Starts at 4:30 at Hamburger Mary’s and goes from there.. Always a huge memorable fundraiser for the GaYBOR District Coalition.
$15.00 tix available at Hamburger Mary’s, Ybor City Wine Bar, Bradley’s on 7th and MC FILM.
Start your own new customs and traditions right here in GaYBOR/ Ybor City this Labor Day Weekend!
BRAVO Wedding To Be, Maybe 1st Lesbian Broadcast Wedding
Tampa residents and lesbian couple are finalist in the “Bravo TV Wedding Contest.” We are lucky to have a great couple locally representing one of the 5 finalist for the National Live TV Wedding.
Liz Hillen & Pam Di Muccio live together in Seminole Heights and are a pet rescue household. The physical therapist and prothetist orthotis met in a rehab center in Largo 15 years ago. The two women made each other laugh and the supervisor had to separate them for patients sake. They later went out on a date and it has been harmony since.
The Bravo TV competition is by the highest couple gathering the most votes gets a FREE wedding and ceremony that will be broadcast live on Bravo TV. 5 couples vying for the winning ceremony are straight, gay, interracial and our local lesbian couple.
“This would be history as the first lesbian couple to wed on TV.” said smiling Liz. You can vote up to 40 times. Every vote will be a vote for Tampa Bay and GLBT history. “We can’t get married legally in Florida now but we’ll make a major Florida statement if we get selected as the winning lesbian couple!”
The couple loves Broadway theatre, traveling, friends and pets. On a vacation trip to Maui in 2001 they found there last rescue dog on the side of the road. They took it to the local humane society and no one claimed the abandoned pet. They crated him back to Tampa from Hawaii. More on the couple go to their website www.VotePamandLiz.com
Besides the on air wedding the contest offers a massive catered reception and a new 2014 Fiat!
Voting takes place now through Sept 6th. www.bravotv.com/wedding .
The live wedding ceremony is set for Oct. 10th on the Bravo TV network.
Jazz Legend Marian McPartland, 92, Passes
One of the famous jazz legends and one of my favorite NPR shows passed away this week. Jazz pianist Marian McPartland, 95, was the host to many shows including the Sat night Peabody Award winning, ‘Piano Jazz.’ I had the honor of listening to her and musical guests for over 15 years traveling home from work in St. Pete and GaYBOR. She has received so many national jazz awards including one for her jazz performances from the Kennedy Center and NEA Jazz Master.
I love her comment about retiring. The living legendary jazz performing McPartland said,
” Retire? Why retire? I got a job! I am making money! I love what I do.”
She and her music will live on.
HCC Ybor Classes Are Back In Session
With the fall semester just beginning classes at schools & colleges across the country so is it at the campus at HCC Ybor. New students are starting a new life in getting their education for a new life future. More students are registering for classes as a beginning to their education then transferring to a 4 year college or major university.
The change in enrollment this year is different than the past couple of years. Years past students registered because of the local down turn in the unemployment & economy and wanted to further their education for better jobs. Most of the students enrolled this fall are 2013 high school graduates.
The GSA had a Welcome Party for new students in the campus park. Welcome Back HCC Students!
Tampa Bay Newcomers
‘Bloom where you are Planted’ is the motto of the Tampa Bay Newcomers. The fiery group of fun loving local women had a social outing luncheon this week at Don Vicente Historic Hotel. The August monthly theme, ‘Flappers!”
Over 260 women are members of the social group. I caught a few ladies in the midst of talking to other members over the past months events in their own lives. The 1920 autos displayed were also a big addition to the themed party!
A little history. Tampa Bay Newcomers was founded in 1952 to extend the hand of friendship for women who are new to the Tampa Bay Area. The club is both a social and community service organization. Monthly luncheons are held throughout the Tampa Bay area and feature local speakers. www.tampabaynewcomers.com
Go Cristinos!
The world famous “Cristino Coal Oven Pizza Restaurant” will be opening soon in GaYBOR/Ybor City on the corner of 8th Ave & 17th Street.. A 5 star favorite, http://www.yelp.com/biz/cristinos-coal-oven-pizza-clearwater the opening of a Christino’s on this side of the bay is much anticipated with delight by the local community. Popular owner, Lenny, is a proud supporter of not only the GaYBOR District but Ybor City too. Cristino’s is a major sponsor of this years “Historic Ybor Holiday Spirit.”
Become Lenny’s Fan today at
The Ybor Social
School is back in session! The Florida Entertainment (Honey Pot, G.Bar & Social) group have spent 100’s of hours cleaning & fixing up the Ybor Social getting ready for this new incredible fun year. Visit https://www.facebook.com/YBORCLUBS
Best BANG!! For Your Dollars this Labor Day Weekend
There are Incredible Fun Things Happening the Weekend!!! Our pick for the one “MUST DO EVENT” is the GaYBOR Beach Blanket Bar Crawl. Starting on Hamburger Mary’s balcony at 4:30 on Sunday. The tickets are only $15 thanks to the wonderful sponsors! The group will travel together thru 9 GaYBOR Club. FREE Shots at all locations. The last stop will be the Honey Pot and includes FREE Admission to the Honey Pot Famous Labor Day GLOW PARTY!!!.
You Just Can Not Make This Up
FREE Beer?
Last Saturday afternoon was the FSU (Florida State University) bar crawl in GaYBOR/Ybor City. 99% of the huge crowd were fine the other 1% gave us something to laugh about. About 5 PM two FSU “Yaah Who’s” were walking west on 7th ave. Both had their FSU shirts off and tucked into their falling down shorts. With beer belly’s hanging out the pair were full of team spirit and booze. Shouting out go team and ” F” this and “F” that.
As they disappeared down the street a highly bright glossy painted car with huge expensive rims, loud boom boom music & way to expensive paint job drove by. The car stopped in front of NY,NY Pizza. The guys inside the car wanted to impress the girls eating pizza on the street cafe. They squealed the tires in a spin out then broke the cars axle!!! LOL
Blocking traffic the police were called to help. While waiting for the tow truck the police closed the street down and detoured the traffic. Just when this scene couldn’t get any funnier here come the touting “Yaah Who’s” walking back. This time they were in the middle of the now closed 7th Ave. Still shouting go team & “F” this & “F” that. They actually had a cheap 12 pack of beer under their arms and an open can of beer in the other hand. The 2 FSU guys walked right into the police! LOL LOL
Then they started a fight with the police. I’m sure this was a proud moment for their Mothers! The guys were handcuffed and sat down on the curb waiting for the police pick up wagon.
Now the really funny part….. Just then a couple of Ybor’s homeless guys spotted the 12 packs in the street. The guys ran out and picked up the beer then quickly disappeared. The crowd was cheering the homeless guys. The handcuffed guys started to yell, “POLICE ; POILCE They are stealing our beer!”
You just can not make this up!!! LOL
GaYBOR Member of the Week
Mike & Scott
Two of the hardest behind the scene workers you will ever find in GaYBOR/Ybor City! The couple have spent many,many hours on this weekend bar crawl. Be sure to thank them when your on it this weekend. We just have one quest for the guys. Why is it always Mike & Scott and not Scott & Mike? Hum… could it be the same reason we are always Mark & Carrie?
Maybe…..Because just like in the movie “Tourch Song Trilogy” , Mark & Mike set down the law years ago & said they are the pretty ones!!! LOL LOL
Mark & Carrie Nephieu/Niece of the Week
Wayne Toepfer
Whenever Wayne walks into a room everybody smiles back at him. He is such a great guy, always in a good mood and so much fun. When not out enjoying life & people, he is with his partner, Matt, You will find smiling Wayne at the Palms Restaurant on Westshore. https://www.facebook.com/wayne.toepfer